- for all the men:
- It appears from this appeal, that the pestilence, as well as the sword of the magistrates, singled out the guilty persons and spared the rest ("[Nor] for the pestilenceª¹ [that] walkethª° in darkness;ª [nor] for the destructionª¹ [that] wastethª° at noonday.ª ... Only¹ with thine eyesª shalt thou beholdª° and seeª° the rewardª of the wicked.ª" {Psa 91:6-8}). The legislator, in order to deter the Jews from idolatry, alludes to this fact, but he notices no circumstance but one, which, though in the original narrative was not stated, was infinitely the most important to advert to on this occasion; but which no persons, but spectators of the fact, and perfectly acquainted with every individual concerned in it, could possibly feel the truth of. "But among these¹ there was¹ not¹ a manª of them whom Mosesª and Aaronª the priestª numbered,ª°¹ when¹ they numberedª°¹ the childrenª of Israelª in the wildernessª of Sinai.ª" {Num 26:64}
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